10 Of The Most Memorable Lewks From RuPaul’s Drag Race

RuPaul’s Drag Race has been on our screens for 10 years now, and no matter what queens are chosen to compete in a season of Drag Race, one thing is a given. We will be served lewks all season long henny. Some of the lewks become so iconic that they even inspire entire runway categories in later seasons. Let’s take a look at some of the most gag-worthy, memorable lewks from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

10. Shea Couleé: Village People Couture
(Season 9 episode 11)
Throughout her season, Shea turned some pretty fierce looks, but it was during the 11th episode’s runway that Shea showed us that she could create show-stopping moments. Aside from creating an outfit torn straight from a Fifth Harmony music video, Shea’s thigh high construction boots, plaid patchwork cape, and bedazzled hardhat solidified her position as a Drag Race legend in her season.

9. Roxxxy Andrews: Latex Extravaganza
(All Stars 2 episode 2)
The second episode of AS2 brought us the sickening latex runway (specifically that Detox lewk). But I want to take a moment to praise Miss Roxxxy Andrews on her gag-worthy latex gown. The reason this lewk made it to the list is for full body-ody-ody. Miss Andrews was giving us everything showcasing her famous curves in shiny black latex. She was serving hot goth realness, and we’re living the full fantasy penny.

8. Valentina: White Party Realness
(Season 9 episode 2)
To be perfectly honest, this could have been a whole list of Valentina looks. Valentina served us blushing bride realness during this runway challenge. She may have gotten clocked for wearing nude pumps, but her hair, makeup, and wedding gown made up for it. This look was a turning point for Valentina that showed us that she knew how to turn.a.lerk.

7. Asia O’Hara: Feathers
(Season 10 episode 3)
Asia’s Tweety Bird mumu was unlike anything that had ever been on the Drag Race main stage. The attention to detail was incredible from the eye makeup, right down to the orange gloves that looked like a beak while Asia was standing still. Between this look, and her performance as the “buttrface” in the acting challenge, Asia became an icon of Season 10, so there’s no surprise she made it all the way to the final.

6. Naomi Smalls: Wizard of Oz
(Season 8 episode 6)
In the much anticipated “twin” challenge of the season, Naomi Smalls proved she was THE fashion queen when she created coordinating scarecrow looks. With her platinum bowl cut, and patchwork plaid bubble dress had every judge gagging over the lewk. Naomi killed this challenge, and solidified her ranking as one of the most stunning fashion queens Drag Racehas ever seen.

5. Aquaria: Best Drag
(Season 10 episode 2)
The “Best Drag” category usually delivers stunning lewks, and season 10 winner Aquaria was no exception. Aquaria’s androgynous mesh gown, and oversized septum rings had us gagging over the 21-year-old queen. It was the dawning of the Age of Aquaria, aka a new kind of drag we weren’t used to seeing on Drag Race. Aquaria continued to deliver look after look each week, all show stopping, and different. She’s a winner, Baby.

4. Courtney Act: Animal Kingdom Couture
(Season 6, Episode 9)
Season 6 saw Courtney Act being reputedly told that she was relying on her face and body for too many looks. But I would argue that Courtney delivered many fashion forward, and boundary pushing lewks. This one in particular made the list because it was simply breathtaking. The thigh-high boots, Swan Lake eye makeup, and armored chest-plate was enough to make this a memorable look, but the huge wings made it a stand out among the others in this category as a full fashion look, and not just an animal costume. Good on ya mate!

3. Detox: Reunion Finale
(Season 5, Episode 14)
Detox was another queen that delivered look, after iconic look (see her latex extravaganza look), but this look was so iconic it spawned a challenge in a later season. Detox’s old Hollywood glamour shines through her grey scale makeup, which makes it look like she just stepped out of a black and white movie, and we’re eating it all up.

2. Bianca Del Rio: Finale
(Season 7, Episode 14)
Leave it to shady queen Bianca Del Rio to come dressed head to toe in diamonds to pass off the crown to a new queen. Bianca, not normally considered to be a lewk queen (she described herself as “clown realness”), this look is absolutely stunning, just because of how extra it is. We expect nothing else from Bianca. Once a winner, always a winner.

1. Violet Chachki Fall Runway & Death Becomes Her
(Season 7 episodes 1 & 6)
Violet is the ULTIMATE lewk queen, which is why I couldn’t pick just one of her looks. These two in particular are both so iconic, that they had to come in first place. Let’s unpack them. First, the first episode of Season 7 brought us Violet’s reversible jumpsuit. One side was a stunning plaid for a perfect autumn day. The other half featured a full black sequin lewk to wow your friends, and devastate your enemies. Her Death Becomes Her lewk was so breathtaking (literally), it made pint-sized pop sensation Ariana Grande gasp (literally) when she entered the stage. Though it might have been a simple black corset, Violet’s waist was cinched so tight, she famously exclaimed, “I really could die bitch”. There’s a reason why Violet won her season, and became one of the most iconic lewk queens that has ever graced the Drag Race competition, and these two examples are only the tip of the iceberg on how incredible Violet’s eye for fashion really is.

The great thing about Drag Race is that there are literally hundreds of looks that could also be on this list. With each new season, we are introduced to a new crop of queens that give us so much more range, and broaden our idea of what drag should look like. So whether it’s a super fishy beauty queen look, or a more androgynous couture look, our favourite queens have always got us covered, and that is the true beauty of Drag.